Successful Meetings - April 2009 - (Page 86)

MISSOURI > SPRING IN THE OZARKS Spring Ozarks MISSOURI DESTINATIONS ARE SPRUCING UP WITH LARGER VENUES FOR GROUPS here can you find the largest cave in the United States, the home of square dancing and the towns where iced tea and the ice cream cone were invented? It’s all in Missouri. Beyond the trivial, the state has earned some serious accolades for group facilities. It’s within a day’s drive of half the U.S. population, and just a quick flight to both coasts. For conferences, Branson has a new convention center to offer, and a new airport opening there next month will make it easier to bring in groups to this capital of the live entertainment industry. Springfield has a new expo center in the Chuggin’ Along in St. Louis By Jeff Waddle I W on offer as well, and new hotel developments to accommodate large groups and conventions. The “Show Me” state has a little something for everyone. St. Louis and the Missouriside of Kansas City satisfy big city seekers, but it’s the peaceful stretch of Ozark hamlets that hold the real charms of the state. The state is bookended by mighty rivers—the Missouri and Mississippi—and in between are lakes, caves, and other natural wonders perfect for inspiring attendees. Branson Branson this year is celebrating 50 years of live music shows. The first have long dreamed of traveling across the country in a train or taking an authentic stern-wheel riverboat down the Mississippi River, leisurely watching the world go by as I savor a glass of something special. That, I envisioned, would be the way to truly travel in style at the comfortable pace of yesteryear, before the hub-and-spoke highways in the sky changed the way we get from Point A to Point B. While there’s a good chance I’ll never see my dream come true, St. Louis is a fun place to keep it alive. Gateway Arch Riverboats is the oldest excursion boat company on the Mississippi River, operating since 1891. Today, they offer a variety of sightseeing, dinner, and chartered riverboat cruises under the shadows of the Gateway Arch. My fascination for rail travel comes alive at the Museum of Transportation, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of rare and unusual locomotives and other railroad memorabilia. Now operated by the St. Louis County Parks system, the property is historically significant in its own right, as it was the site of the first railroad tunnel built west of the Mississippi River (circa 1853), which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum has several spaces that are available for groups up to 280 people. 86 I SM I April 2009 I SuccessfulMeetings.com Canoeing on a hot summer day in the Ozarks (left), and downtown St. Louis (right) http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - April 2009

Successful Meetings - April 2009
Contents
Editor's Letter
News Update
The Industry Fights Back
Gaming Meetings
The Coolers
Vegas Big, Vegas Small
Golf Meetings
Places + Spaces
Colorado
Central Florida
Missouri
Puerto Rico
U.K.
Cape Town

Successful Meetings - April 2009